His One Weakness
by itchy magee
Summary: Bruce and Betty share a tender reunion after the battle in NYC. However, things get a little green when Tony's curiosity gets the better of him.
1. Reunited

He was reading some recently published academic journals on his laptop, a steaming cup of coffee at his hand. He was just mentally bashing the idiots in the field of gamma radiation, when JARVIS's voice came over the intercom.

"Dr. Banner," the robotic butler addressed him.  
"Yes Jarvis?" Bruce replied, not looking up from the screen of his laptop.  
"There's a visitor for you."  
That got Bruce's attention. He looked up towards the speaker on the ceiling,  
"Who is it?"  
"They wished to remain anonymous, sir, save for that they are an 'old friend'."  
Bruce wasn't sure he trusted this "old friend". After the battle in New York, S.H.I.E.L.D. had, by means unknown, gotten the U.S. military to give Bruce amnesty. That is, his days of running were over. He still didn't feel safe though, and felt it best if he stay with Tony and the other "Avengers" for as long as possible.  
"Thank you Jarvis." He said, standing up.  
"My pleasure, sir."

He stood up, and went to go put something more presentable than his pajamas on. As he made his way to the elevator, his mind raced. What would happen if this "visitor" wanted to hurt him, or the others? What if it was Ross, with a veritable army, ready to take him in? Bruce shook his head, as he stepped into the elevator, and pressed the button for the Lobby. The conditions of his amnesty were thus, as long as the Hulk remained contained, and was only released for official Avengers business, people like General Ross couldn't touch him. Still, he steeled himself, as the elevator approached the Lobby, ready for who or whatever was on the other side of those doors.

When the doors opened, Bruce slowly stepped out onto the polished floor, the sunlight streaming through the large window-wall opposite him. He looked left and right, scanning the Lobby to see that it was almost empty. Almost.

He saw a woman looking out of one of the windows, and he felt his heart begin to race in a way it hadn't in a long time when she turned around.  
"Betty." He half-breathed.  
She smiled at him, her eyebrows coming together,  
"Hi," she whispered.

He sped over to her, stopping a few feet from her, unsure.  
"What are you doing here?" he couldn't be sure she wasn't under some kind of pressure from her father.  
"I saw him…you, on the news." She said referring to the battle, "I came as soon as I heard you were here."  
Bruce stood there silent for a moment, and then, unable to restrain himself, wrapped Betty up in a long overdue embrace.

Her arms immediately wrapped themselves around his shoulders,  
"I'm here." She whispered.  
There they stood, two lost puzzle pieces that had been strewn across the planet, finally together again.


	2. That Night

_That night_

Bruce rolled over and looked at Betty. Her skin glowed in the low light of his bedroom, and when she turned to look back at him, her green eyes sparkled. They were both grateful that Bruce's recent advancements in self-control techniques had allowed them to share the first intimate moment they'd had since the night before the accident all those years ago. Their bodies had eagerly met, both of them had moved together as if they were made solely for each other. Now they lay there, covered only by his deep green blankets; he kissed her hand, holding it to his lips. Betty reached her other hand up and pressed it to the side of his face.

"I love you." She whispered affectionately  
"I love you too," he replied, his eyes full of emotion; relief at finally seeing her again, worry that he might lose her, and anxiety of what would come next. He leaned in and kissed her again, covering her with his body. She held him tightly, her body moving with the beat of his, ready to go again, when suddenly, there was a short knock on the door, and harsh light from the hallway outside. Bruce turned quickly, shielding his eyes, and Betty quickly covered herself as Tony's surprised and mischievous chuckle filled the room.

"Sorry Banner old boy, I didn't know you and your guest were on such good terms."  
"Tony," Bruce growled a warning.  
"Right, so sorry," Tony said condescendingly as he shut the door. However, the door quickly reopened and Tony popped his head back in,  
"You're not mad or anything are you?"  
"Stark, don't tempt me." Bruce threatened in a tone that frightened Betty.  
"Right, right." Tony quickly shut the door, and from the other side the two heard his muffled voice persist,  
"I was just going to invite you down to the lab, but feel free to continue your experiments in the bedroom."

Bruce looked down at Betty, her face flushed in the lowlight.  
"Betty, I am so sorry, I-" he stammered. Stark had ruined everything!  
"Sweety, it's okay," she said calmly, her glowing smile gracing her beautiful face, "just promise me that we can keep the doors locked from now on?"  
Bruce gave her a confused look, wondering at her implications. Betty chuckled,  
"Did you really think I was going to let you get away that easily this time?"

Betty stayed with Bruce, taking some personal time from work, combined with her vacation days; she was even looking at the local university for a teaching position. There was no way Betty was going to let him leave her again, and Bruce was grateful, in the light of the recent events, having her by his side was an enormous source of comfort. Especially since Tony had been steadily pushing Bruce's new self-control to new limits.


	3. Tony's Curiosity

One rainy evening found the two Avengers in Tony's private lab, going over the prototype for a new energy management system for Stark's Arc Reactor. Bruce was intently staring at a holoscreen, studying the readings being given off by the car-sized piece of machinery, while Tony poked and prodded at it with an assortment of strange tools. Betty had stayed up in their apartment, her job as a college professor demanded that she answer some emails and grade some papers. Bruce had felt that it would be good for him to get back in the lab with Tony; despite the fact that Tony's curiosity was becoming dangerous, Bruce did enjoy their time in the lab; two brilliant men and their machinery.

"So," Stark started from behind the prototype, "Betty."  
Bruce stopped momentarily and paused before answering, "What about her?"  
"Well, guy like you doesn't just sleep with girls he's just met." He replied bluntly, "What's your story?"  
"Guys like me?" Bruce asked, chuckling incredulously.  
"Well, you're more of a one-woman kind of guy, unlike me."  
"I'm sure Pepper would love to hear you say that."  
"Pepper aside," Tony swiftly redirected the conversation, "what's your and Betty's story?"  
Bruce sighed loudly, "Well…"  
He recounted the tale of how they met in college, and how they worked together long afterwards. Everything was better then, their days brighter, their future more certain. He told him about her father, the General, and about the accident, and how everything changed after that. He told him about the Hulk had- SNAP!  
Bruce looked down and saw that he had snapped his pencil in two, his knuckles white as he squeezed the remaining pieces.

Tony peered around the large piece of machinery,  
"You okay there Banner?"  
Bruce suddenly noticed the racing of his heart, the heat rising in his chest, the blurred lines at the edge of his vision. With his last remaining intelligent thoughts, he tried to reason, could mere memories trigger a transformation? But how? He'd worked so hard to control himself; neither an elevated heart rate in the bedroom, nor a sharp prod in the side from one of Tony's tools had been able to trigger a transformation. But memories? What if-  
Bruce's mind was overcome with the pain of his body growing, images of Betty in a crumpled heap on the lab floor, of soldiers shooting at him, of Betty's face as he left flashed across his eyes, and he let out a pained roar.


	4. Things Are Getting Green

Up in their apartment, Betty peered through her glasses at her computer screen. Her students were frantically sending her emails about this paper or that project, and she realized she may have to return to Virginia, even if only for a day or two. Suddenly, she heard JARVIS over the intercom,  
"Dr. Ross?" the butler inquired, polite as ever.  
"Yes JARVIS?" she replied, removing her glasses and rubbing her eyes, grateful for a break.  
"Mr. Stark would like to see you on the fifty-first floor laboratory. He says it is most urgent."  
Betty's heart began to race, Bruce was up there.

She immediately stood up to leave, asking of JARVIS on the way out,  
"What's the matter?"  
"Mr. Stark only said that, and I quote, 'Things are about to get a little green in here'."  
_Dear God,_ Betty thought to herself as she raced to the nearest elevator, _what has he done?_

Tony backed away from the transforming Hulk, pressing a button on his wristwatch that sent for one of his Iron Man suits. He silently reminded himself to never, ever, ever push Bruce's buttons again. The giant, green rage-monster stood up and roared, fully transformed. He looked around for something to destroy, and laid his green eyes on the prototype sitting in the middle of the room. He looked at it, then looked at Tony. Both made the connection, and in a split moment, Tony was sprinting down the hall as the piece of machinery crashed through the wall after him.

He kept running, and passed Betty just as she was exiting the elevator. He skidded to a stop and grabbed her by the arm,  
"Never mind what JARVIS said," he said hastily, "you don't want to go in there."  
Betty just shook her head, her eyes wide, and wrenched her arm from his grasp, sprinting in the direction of the lab. Tony let out a growl and followed her back, ready to try to distract the Hulk should he try to hurt her. When they got to the lab, it was empty, albeit utterly destroyed. There was an enormous hole in the wall, and they could see the Hulk bounding out to the east of the city.

Betty shook her head in horror, staring out after her lover. Suddenly, there was the sound of engines, and a red and gold capsule flew up the side of the building and into the room. It began to change and shift with a symphony of metal clankings as it began to form itself around Tony. Soon, standing next to her was the famous Iron Man. She heard Tony's metallic-filtered voice from within,  
"Stay put, the others and I will get him back. And please," he added insistently, stepping out of the window, and hovering before her, "stay put." And with that, he soared out into the city after the Hulk.


	5. Assembling the Avengers

As Tony soared out over the city, JARVIS monitored the Hulk's movement, and updated Tony accordingly.  
"JARVIS, get Rogers on the line, also, cue in the assassins if they're anywhere in the city. And do we know if Shakespeare-in-the-park is even on this planet?"  
"I've already sent a message to Agents Hawkeye and Black Widow, and Steve Rogers is being dialed as we speak, however, I'll need to check the SHIELD database to locate Thor's whereabouts."  
"On top of things, as always JARVIS," Was Tony's snarky response. He was closing in on the Hulk, who had stopped for the moment, to bash in some police cars.

Rogers answered with a curt, "Stark?"  
"Cap, we need you."  
"Hulk's loose, I know," now Tony could hear his panting as he ran, undoubtedly, towards the Hulk.  
"What happened?" he asked.  
"Well uh," before he could beat any more around the bush, Tony finally found the Hulk, who was combating the National Guard, "I'll explain later, see you when you get here."


	6. Betty Yells at a Cop

There was absolutely no way she was going to let him leave her again, not when she'd just found him. Betty sprinted to the elevators, tapping the toes of her sneakers impatiently as the elegant elevator slowly lowered her 50 stories to the ground. After what seemed like an eternity in the shiny gold capsule, the doors finally slid open, and Betty bolted out through the lobby of Stark Tower and into the street. She knew he'd gone east, but there was no way of telling exactly how far he'd-  
Just then, a heli-jet roared overhead, heading east, and she immediately sprinted off in that direction. Soon it became apparent that she'd be too late to be of any use if she kept running. She stopped, and stood on the side of the street, panting, and wracking her brain for another way across town that wasn't a cab. Suddenly, police cars began flying past her, and she had an idea. She waved her arms at several of the cop cars, until finally one stopped.

The young officer inside rolled down the window and demanded,  
"What? We're kind of in the middle of a crisis here."  
"I know," Betty replied smartly, "I need you to take me to the scene, I'm with S.H.I.E.L.D."  
The young officer looked her up and down, disbelieving. Betty hardly looked the part of a S.H.I.E.L.D. operative, she was in a blue v-neck t-shirt, jeans and white tennis shoes, her hair in a messy braid over one shoulder. However, when the young cop seemed about to dismiss her, she yelled, startling him,  
"Do I look like I'm kidding to you? Take me to the scene before I have you arrested for disobeying a direct order from a superior!"  
The officer swallowed, glanced at his partner in the drivers' seat, and soon Betty heard the doors unlock. She hopped in the backseat, ordering them to go before her door was even shut. They sped through the streets of NYC, people around them staring in wonder, clueless as to what terror had been unleashed. The closer they got to where the Hulk was, the more severe the damage to the city became; police cars flattened and destroyed, cars overturned, craters in the sides of the surrounding buildings, even a tank that had been mutilated. Soon it appeared that the Hulk had moved his rampage on to a shipyard, that or the Avengers were better at manipulating the Hulk than Betty had given them credit for.

Iron Man swooped in and shot several small missiles at the Hulk, which exploded harmlessly against his impenetrable green hide. Unfortunately for him, Iron Man swooped a little too close to the Hulk, who reached out, and grabbed him from the sky, slamming him into the concrete below, leaving a small crater. No sooner had Iron Man hit the ground, than Captain America jumped into action. He leaped about as nimble as an acrobat, evading the Hulk's powerful swinging fists. He struck harder than a speeding truck, landing a blow to the Hulk's face that knocked him back a step. However, in all his athletic glory, he was still no match for the Hulk, who wrapped one hand around the Captain's midsection and threw him into a nearby crate.

The Black Widow jumped in, peppering him with bullets from her small handguns. When her limited supply of ammunition ran out, the assassin jumped about the Hulk, even more nimble than the Captain before her. Betty knew this had to stop, now. And there was only one way she could think to stop it. She looked up and saw Hawkeye ready another arrow, laced with undoubtedly some destructive device. Immediately, she sprinted forward, through the maze of cop cars, and bolted out past the tanks.


	7. His One Weakness

The Hulk had just sent Black Widow flying into the air with a wide backhand, and roared in the direction of the barricade. When he ceased his war-cry, he noticed the slim figure between him and the soldiers.  
Betty.

She knew that look on his face, her plan would work, just so long as nobody attacked them. She slowly walked towards the Hulk, who was still panting and growling.

Behind them Captain America came to, and saw the scene before him; a young woman walking right up to the raging Hulk!  
"What is she doing?" he stood up quickly, "He'll kill her!"  
"Wait," he heard from behind him. He turned and saw the Black Widow, who had landed next to him, sit up slowly, clutching her undoubtedly broken ribs,  
"He won't hurt her," she grunted in pain as she settled herself in a sitting position against the dented crate behind them, "I've read the files. She is… his one weakness."

Betty stopped a few feet from him, her green giant.  
"Bruce, please," she started, "stop this. You don't have to fight anymore, I'm here now."  
The Hulk, in two deliberate, massive strides closed the distance between them. He looked down at her and she up at him,  
"I'm here now." She repeated in a whisper, a tear rolling down one cheek.  
The Hulk saw visions of her flash through his mind; memories. Visions of him saving her, missing her, loving her. Yes, he loved her.

The green behemoth sank down to his knees, putting his face level with hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder. She soon felt his massive arms wrap themselves around her. In all her life, she never felt as safe as she did when the Hulk held her. She said softly in his ear,  
"I will never let them hurt you."  
The Hulk pulled her away, holding her in front of him, shook his head, and insisted, in the most intelligent voice she'd ever heard him use,  
"I save you."  
She nodded smiling, "Yes, you do. But I will always try to save you if I can. I swear it." She buried her face in his neck, and she heard him say in his low, rumbling voice,  
"I love you Betty."  
She replied, whispering in his ear, her voice cracking with emotion, "I love you Bruce."


End file.
